How to Grow Hericium

Cut oak logs during the winter. Hardwood trees store sugar during the winter, which allows hericium mushrooms to grow more easily. Freshly cut logs are best, since older logs are more likely to have other species of mushrooms growing on them.

Drill a series of holes in the oak logs with a 1/2-inch drill bit. The holes should be 1 1/2 inches deep and about 5 inches apart.

Insert hericium spawn into the drilled holes. The inoculated material may be dowel plugs or sawdust. Plugs keep the spawn alive longer, but sawdust spawn grows faster. Tap the plugs into the holes with a hammer, or place the sawdust spawn into the holes with an applicator.

Seal the holes with hot food-grade wax to keep the spawn from drying out. Stack the logs in the bush and place some canvas over them to serve as shade.

Allow the spawn to grow for six months to a year, until they are ready to fruit. Stand the logs on their ends, and lean them against a taut wire. This prevents the mushrooms from coming into contact with the ground.

Water the mushroom spawn in the spring, if possible. You can water the logs with a sprinkler or wait for a good rain to induce the spawn to produce fruiting bodies. Harvest the fruiting bodies when they mature, and allow the logs to rest for at least two months. Water the logs again to produce a second crop.